diff --git a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/alloc.c b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/alloc.c
index 94a7daa83f6f..759a02aeb729 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/alloc.c
+++ b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/alloc.c
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ PyDataMem_GetHandler()
     if (p == NULL) {
         return NULL;
     }
-    handler = PyDict_GetItemString(p, "current_allocator");
+    handler = PyDict_GetItem(p, npy_ma_str_current_allocator);
     if (handler == NULL) {
         handler = PyCapsule_New(&default_handler, "mem_handler", NULL);
         if (handler == NULL) {
diff --git a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.c b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.c
index 0ce092780ec9..5e51bcaa67e3 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.c
+++ b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.c
@@ -4665,6 +4665,7 @@ set_flaginfo(PyObject *d)
     return;
 }
 
+NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN PyObject * npy_ma_str_current_allocator = NULL;
 NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN PyObject * npy_ma_str_array = NULL;
 NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN PyObject * npy_ma_str_array_function = NULL;
 NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN PyObject * npy_ma_str_array_struct = NULL;
@@ -4681,6 +4682,10 @@ NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN PyObject * npy_ma_str_numpy = NULL;
 static int
 intern_strings(void)
 {
+    npy_ma_str_current_allocator = PyUnicode_InternFromString("current_allocator");
+    if (npy_ma_str_current_allocator == NULL) {
+        return -1;
+    }
     npy_ma_str_array = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__array__");
     if (npy_ma_str_array == NULL) {
         return -1;
diff --git a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.h b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.h
index 70205dfd2fed..809736cd2df0 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.h
+++ b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef NUMPY_CORE_SRC_MULTIARRAY_MULTIARRAYMODULE_H_
 #define NUMPY_CORE_SRC_MULTIARRAY_MULTIARRAYMODULE_H_
 
+NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN extern PyObject * npy_ma_str_current_allocator;
 NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN extern PyObject * npy_ma_str_array;
 NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN extern PyObject * npy_ma_str_array_function;
 NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN extern PyObject * npy_ma_str_array_struct;